USGS documents how Wildfires and Weather Are Changing Erosion Patterns
USGS scientists have determined that sediment runoff from California's increasingly severe wildfires and heavy rain events may affect ecosystems and water resources downstream.
USGS scientists have determined that sediment runoff from California's increasingly severe wildfires and heavy rain events may affect ecosystems and water resources downstream.
Coastal Impacts in Florida and Puerto Rico
Summary of Activities Related to Additional Supplemental Appropriations
Summary of Activities Related to Additional Supplemental Appropriations
Landslide and Debris-Flow Impacts from California Wildfires
A Summary of Activities Related to Additional Supplemental Appropriations
A Summary of Activities Related to Additional Supplemental Appropriations
Alaska Earthquake: Equipment Replacement and Geologic Investigations
A Summary of Activities Related to Additional Supplemental Appropriations
A Summary of Activities Related to Additional Supplemental Appropriations
Response Activities, Equipment Repair, and Hardening from the Kīlauea eruption
A Summary of Activities Related to Additional Supplemental Appropriations
A Summary of Activities Related to Additional Supplemental Appropriations
Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Recovery Activities
USGS supports recovery efforts in declared natural disaster areas through supplemental appropriations. This site describes the USGS activities related to recovery and rebuilding after natural disasters.
When natural disasters strike our nation, Congress can appropriate funding under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) and supplemental funding acts for Federal disaster relief activities. In 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2025. Congress funded USGS under these Acts to aid recovery efforts from widespread wildfires, devastating hurricanes, prolonged volcanic eruptions, and damaging earthquakes. This enables USGS to repair and replace equipment and facilities, collect high-resolution elevation data, and conduct scientific studies and assessments to support recovery and rebuilding decisions.
News
Volcano Watch — An assembly of volcano scientists to gather in Hilo
Volcano Watch — An assembly of volcano scientists to gather in Hilo
Volcano Watch — First light (and flight) for HVO’s new airborne lidar system
Volcano Watch — First light (and flight) for HVO’s new airborne lidar system
SPCMSC Team deploys instruments on Breton Island Louisiana
SPCMSC Team deploys instruments on Breton Island Louisiana
Publications
Coral reef restoration can reduce coastal contamination and pollution hazards
Coral reef restoration can reduce the wave-driven flooding for coastal communities. However, this protection has yet to be assessed in terms of the reduced risk of flood-driven environmental contamination. Here we provide the first high-resolution valuation of the reduction of flood-related land-based environmental pollution provided by potential coral reef restoration. Along Florida’s...
Hybrid coral reef restoration can be a cost-effective nature-based solution to provide protection to vulnerable coastal populations
Coral reefs can mitigate flood damages by providing protection to tropical coastal communities whose populations are dense, growing fast, and have predominantly lower-middle income. This study provides the first fine-scale, regionally modeled valuations of how flood risk reductions associated with hybrid coral reef restoration could benefit people, property, and economic activity along...
Projections of multiple climate-related coastal hazards for the US Southeast Atlantic
Faced with accelerating sea level rise and changing ocean storm conditions, coastal communities require comprehensive assessments of climate-driven hazard impacts to inform adaptation measures. Previous studies have focused on flooding but rarely on other climate-related coastal hazards, such as subsidence, beach erosion and groundwater. Here, we project societal exposure to multiple...
Science
Alaska Flood Staffs
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) uses observations of flooding in communities to monitor hazard conditions and support research by the USGS and its partners into a variety of hazard processes in Alaska. Local observations of flooding at a flood staffs are used to document flood elevations, improve flood models, and support floodplain management decisions.
Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS)
Software for calculating positional boundary change over time The Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) version 6 is a standalone application that calculates shoreline or boundary change over time. The GIS of a user’s choice is used to prepare the data for DSAS. Like previous versions, DSAS v.6 enables a user to calculate rate-of-change statistics from multiple historical shoreline positions...
Typhoon Merbok Disaster Emergency Recovery Efforts
Extreme storm events, such as Extratropical-Typhoon Merbok that hit the coast of Western Alaska in September 2022, are stark reminders of the devastating impacts coastal storms can have on Alaska Native community’s livelihoods and infrastructure. A chronic lack of environmental monitoring and technical assistance in rural Alaska present major barriers to communities affected by Typhoon Merbok...